I'm pretty sure that I flubbed the connections on the coax that I installed on my J-Pole, and after the first hard storm that it suffered, moisture got into the connections or the coax itself.
My question is, IF moisture got into the coax, is the whole 30 foot length ruined? Or should I be able to salvage it if I cut off say the first foot and reconnect it with a new connection?
Isn't it the NMO that's better for weather protection?
If the N connector was put on properly, it should be watertight. Did you put any kind of sealer around it? And just out of curiosity, how did you conclude there is moisture in the coax?
A clear conscience is usually a sign of a bad memory
RIP ALBI-W3MIV RIP RUSS-W5RB RIP BOB-VK3ZL
Originally Posted by K7SGJ
Because its an SO-239 connection that's up there now. And I had intentions of going back with shrink wrap, and electrical tape but never got around to it. It weathered a severe storm and a night of rain a week or two ago and when I used the radio a day or so after, there was crackling in the signal.
ETA: I haven't used it since then either...
Last edited by K9CCH; 09-11-2013 at 10:39 AM.
Okay, I thought you put an N on it. My bad. What coax are you using?
ETA: Usually, if you get some moisture in the connector, a few day in the sun should dry it out. Worst case, replace the connector. I wouldn't be too concerned about the coax. If you decide to replace the connector, just wack off an inch or two of the coax and you should be fine. Have you tried to drop to low power, and look at an swr meter to see if it's stable? If you do have an issue with the coax or connector, or antenna for that matter, it should show up there.
Last edited by K7SGJ; 09-11-2013 at 10:39 AM.
A clear conscience is usually a sign of a bad memory
RIP ALBI-W3MIV RIP RUSS-W5RB RIP BOB-VK3ZL
LMR-400
That's pretty decent coax. As long as the cable itself hasn't been compromised, Just replace the connector and an inch or so of the coax and you should be good to go. You might want to carefully check your connection from the coax to the J-pole. It may have a problem at that point which would certainly cause the noise you describe. Did you mount a UHF connector to the antenna, and then connect to that with a PL259 on the end of the coax?
Last edited by K7SGJ; 09-11-2013 at 10:45 AM.
A clear conscience is usually a sign of a bad memory
RIP ALBI-W3MIV RIP RUSS-W5RB RIP BOB-VK3ZL
Yup!
The Coax is brand new and there isn't any nicks or cuts or cracks anywhere that cold have compromised it, other than the end where my hack soldering job is.
I need to get a worthy soldering iron. All I have now is one of those el-cheapo $5 Weller ones with the tiny pointy tip.
Cable jobs are one of the last bastions of ham work where big soldering guns may be a better choice. You want heat, and lots of it to prevent cold joints. I keep an old, ugly Weller with my Field Day stuff just for that reason, although to be honest at home I'm usually too lazy to do it and buy pre-assembled lengths instead :twisted:
Jim
The machine does not isolate us from the great problems of nature but plunges us more deeply into them. - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
That being the case, I would definitely check the connection at the connector/J-pole junction. You need a lot of heat to make that a reliable connection. A torch might help you out if you are careful with the center of the SO 239 connector. And, as NEL noted, a large gun or iron is necessary to get a solid connection of the braid of the LMR400 to the barrel of the PL259. Perhaps you can borrow one if you don't have or can't get one right now. And once done, I would wrap the connection with some of the rubber tape like electricians use for wrapping conduit below grade. That black gorilla snot made to weatherproof connectors works well, but is a pain in the ass to remove if necessary. Of course, vinyl electrical tape will work in a pinch, too.
A clear conscience is usually a sign of a bad memory
RIP ALBI-W3MIV RIP RUSS-W5RB RIP BOB-VK3ZL
The symptoms of coax with water in it is high SWR. Crackling in your signal can be caused by a bunch of different things. It has been my experience that water runs downhill and both times I've had water in my coax, the coax sucked it up and I found it at the bottom of the hill.
Buy, Borrow or steal a better soldering iron. This is a worthy investment if you'll be soldering your own connectors on.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Weller-10...4#.UjClG8ZHQXc
I've had a Weller WP-35 iron for my bench since 1993. But I don't use it for coax work. I do use a Weller Portasol P-1K for indoor coax solder jobs. Tips are hard to find and getting expensive.
Hope this helps.
"One man with courage makes a majority." ~ Andrew Jackson
Steve KA9MOT
Macomb, IL
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